The Golden Flame
by FrostyKoala
Summary: OC fic. First HP fic. About another student at Hogwarts during the same years as Harry. Slight Creature fic. Also, I own nothing but my own characters and plots.


_**AN: This is not my first fic, but it is my first HP fic... I hope you enjoy it! It doesn't contain any slash and mainly revolves around my OC, Jaq (pronounced like Jack). Constructive criticism is always welcome, especially if I get some characterizations of the canon's wrong... Please read and review!**_

The Golden Flame

A Harry Potter Fan-fiction

It was a foggy day and the platform was crowded. A lone whistle from the scarlet engine could be heard over all the chattering voices of excited students getting ready to board the Hogwarts Express. Some were returning for another magical year at the school for Witchcraft and Wizardry, whereas some were new students going for the first time and couldn't wait to see what was in store for them. Especially one in particular. He was a rather tall lad, standing at a good five foot ten inches, and had a shock of fiery red hair with a swoop of white in the bangs and pale blue eyes.

He kissed his mother goodbye and started for the train with his trunk. Once he boarded he proceeded to look for a compartment. He found one that was empty and placed his things on the rack above the seat, pulled out a book, and proceeded to read. It wasn't long until he was interrupted by a girl throwing open the compartment door, stepping inside and throwing her trunk up on the rack opposite him. She then proceeded to plop down on the opposite seat and flip through a magazine in her hands.

"I'm really sorry about my sister. She doesn't usually act like this... It's been a rough day," said another girl that looked remarkably like the first. They were both of similar stature, with the same light mocha colored skin and deep brown eyes. The main difference was their hair. The first girl had a mass of curly brown hair that was pushed back with a headband, and the second girl had wavy dirty blonde hair that fell over one shoulder.

"Oh, it's ok. No biggy," he replied with a smile. "Here let me help you with your trunk."

"Thanks. I'm Georgia, by the way."

"Jaq. Nice to meet you."

"And little Miss Pouty over there is my twin, London." There was a brief nod and a grunt from her in recognition. "Are you a first year, too?"

"Yeah. I take it you're from overseas?"

"How did you guess?"

"Your accent is distinctly not English," Jaq said, a little smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.

"Well, you don't really sound English either," Georgia countered with.

"Well I happen to be from Ireland."

"It doesn't sound Irish, either. I'd place it as American..."

"I watched a lot of American television growing up," Jaq said simply. The two continued chatting, with London interjecting every so often, her mood beginning to lighten. After what seemed like only a short while, the trio was interrupted as the compartment door slid open and an older looking student wearing black robes with emerald green trim and a badge with the letter "P" on it told them to get dressed into their robes as they were about to arrive at the train station in Hogsmeade in about twenty minutes. Once, the older student had left, Jaq opened his trunk and gathered his school uniform and excused himself to the bathroom so that the girls could have some privacy while they changed.

When he returned, they continued talking, this time about the school itself. They touched on subjects such as what house they wanted to be in, what the classes were going to be like, the quidditch matches and so on. In what seemed like no time at all, the train pulled into the station, and everyone offloaded onto the platform. The first year students were easily recognizable, as they were the only students whose robes were not trimmed in a house color.

"Firs' years, over here!" came a big, booming voice that made London jump. They all turned to see a giant of a man with a big bushy beard and big bushy hair holding a lantern waving them over. They also noticed all the other first years had gathered around him, so they made their way over to join the group. Once everyone was assembled, the giant man did a head count, and once everything seemed to be in order, he turned and strode off with a, "Folla me!"

When he finally finished walking, the group ended up at the shore to a great glassy black lake. Before them, in the water, was a small fleet of boats.

"Righ' now! No more 'an four tah a boat," their outrageously tall guide commanded. Jaq and the girls immediately grabbed a boat and were joined by a girl with long white hair.

"Hi, I'm Kirsten," she said. Introducing herself to the group as the boats all started moving away from shore.

"I'm Jaq, that's Georgia and that's London," Jaq responded, indicating the twins. The group would have continued talking if the view of Hogwarts castle greeted them. They immediately ceased talking to gaze in wonder at the beauty of the school. They then noticed that they were heading toward a curtain of ivy that seemed to open of its own accord as they got closer, revealing a hidden caver, with a landing dock for the boats. Once all the boats were docked and all the fist years had gathered at the foot of the stone steps, they proceeded to head to the school. When they came to a pair of great oak doors, they noticed a very stern looking woman wearing square spectacles and deep emerald robes standing at the top of the flight of stone steps.

"Evenin' Professor McGonagall, ma'am," the giant greeted.

"Good evening, Hagrid," she responded kindly. "I'll take them from here, thank you." With that, he took his leave and left them with the professor, who lead them in through the great oak doors and off to a side room where she told them to wait while she went to set up for the sorting ceremony. As Jaq looked around, he noticed a girl with bushy brown hair muttering to herself wildly and looked to be on the verge of hyperventilation. He also noticed a pale blonde boy sneering at a redheaded kid and another with dark, messy hair and glasses. He thought an altercation was about to happen, but Professor McGonagall walked in to lead them into the Great Hall to be sorted.

As Jaq entered into the Great Hall, he was amazed at the sight that greeted him. Four long tables, that sat each of the four houses, were filled with chattering students and at the top of the hall sat the staff table that had all the professors seated behind it looking down upon the student body. Floating above the tables were thousands of candles, and as he looked to the ceiling, he saw the star-dotted night sky outside.

"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in _Hogwarts, A History_," the brown, bushy haired girl he saw earlier remarked.

When they finally came to a stop, the were standing on the raised platform in front of the staff, looking at the student body. Jaq then noticed that a stool with a really old, tattered and worn wizard's hat was sitting in front of them. He had just began to wonder why the hat was sitting there, when it burst into song. After it had finished, the students and staff all burst into applause as the hat bowed to each house in turn and then fell still once more. Then McGonagall stood in front of the students and addressed them saying, "When I call your name, you will step forward, sit on the stool and place the Sorting Hat on your head, and wait to be sorted into your houses.

"Bones, Susan."

After she was sorted into Hufflepuff, the professor continued down the list. When the busy haired witch, one Hermione Granger, was called, she was immediately sorted into Gryffindor. Finally the moment that Jaq was waiting for arrived as Professor McGonagall called out, "Phoenoximus, Jaquin."

He stepped forward to sit on the stool and placed the hat on his head. He was a little startled when a small voice spoke into his ear saying, _'Hmmm... Not as clear cut as your father on where to put __you... You have plenty of courage I see... so very like your father, but you have great cunning and intelligence like your mother... Not to mention the power and potential that lies dormant within you. You would do great in either Gryffindor or Slytherin...'_

_ 'Why do you say that?' _Jaq inquired of the hat.

_ 'Hmmm? __What do you mean?' _the hat questioned him in return.

_ 'Well, what about the other two houses? Why not Hufflepuff? Or even Ravenclaw? Would I not be suited for those, as well?'_

_ '__... Inquisitive it seems... Ah, yes I see it now... a thirst for knowledge that is greater than any other trait you possess... I believe you would do well in one of those houses because you embody the traits of both houses... However, with your seemingly insatiable appetite for knowledge, I would have to place you in the one house that can help you quench that thirst..._

"RAVENCLAW!" the hat shouted a moment later.


End file.
